Limited automatic regulating mechanism for a timepiece



July 14, 1964 J. A. VAN HORN LIMITED AUTOMATIC REGULATING MECHANISM FORA TIMEPIECE Filed March 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR John A. VanHorn,

ATTORNEYS y 14, 1954 J. A. VAN HORN 3,140,578

LIMITED AUTOMATIC REGULATING MECHANISM FOR A TIMEPIECE Filed March 29,1960' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H w 4440 46 Z6 IN VENTOR John A. Van Horn,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Filed Mar. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 18,425 20Claims. (Cl. 58-855) This invention relates to a timepiece with anautomatic regulator and more particularly relates to a timepiece soconstructed as to automatically accomplish limited regulation thereofwhen the hands of the timepiece are set.

Conventional timepieces, such as watches and clocks, are ordinarilyprovided with a regulator which is accessible either from the inside ofthe case or from the back of the timepiece so that the timepiece may beregulated to keep accurate time. In certain types of timepieces,however, such as automobile clocks, the mounting of the clock makes itdifficultto provide a readily accessible regulator which is not alsosubject to undesired tampering, as by children. In solving thisdifliculty, it previously has been proposed to provide an automaticregulator which is actuated to cause regulation each time that the handsof the clock are set to correct an inaccurate time indication.

In a certain type of regulator of this nature which has been proposedheretofore, it has been suggested that it is essential to properautomatic regulation that some means be provided to insure that theregulation set into the clock in a specified period of time is limitedto a predetermined maximum. As one means of accomplishing this, it hasbeen suggested to set a predetermined maximum amount of regulation whichmay take place at any one time that the hands of the clock are set. Onesuch example of this type of regulator is shown in Rabinow Patent No.2,542,430. According to another suggestion of the same inventor (RabinowPatent No. 2,858,029), it has been proposed to utilize limit means forlimiting the magnitude of change of adjustment for a change inindication within a predetermined period of time to insure that thechange in regulator adjustment will at no time exceed this predeterminedamount. In conjunction with such limit means this same inventor providesa regulator lock-out so that it is impossible to reregulate during thepredetermined period of time.

Though structures such as are disclosed in the Rabinow patents possesscertain advantages (i.e., tamperproofing; elimination of erroneousregulation for non-corrective adjustments of the timepiece; etc.), thereare correspondingly a number of limitations to these structures. Forexample, there are innumerable instances in which it is desired to makea regulation correction of significantly larger magnitude than would bepermitted at any given time by any of the structural embodimentsdisclosed in the above mentioned patents. In the case of a regulatingmechanism such as is illustrated in Rabinow Patent No. 2,542,430, thedesired correction of large magnitude could not be made by means of asingle depression of the setting stem; in the case of the lock-outmechanism of Rabinow Patent No. 2,858,029, of course, this correctioncould not be made until the period of time for which the lock-outmechanism was set expired. In addition, the look-out mechanism of thelatter patent prevents the immediate erasure of erroneous regulationresulting from erroneous setting of the timepiece, a not at all uncommonoccurrence.

In applicants copending application Serial No. 840,373 filed September16, 1959, now abandoned, applicant disclosed a novel automatic regulatorfor timepieces which is designed to retain many of the advantages ofprior art 3,140,578 Patented July 14, 1964 "ice regulator systems suchas those disclosed in the Rabinow patents above, yet, at the same time,to eliminate the disadvantages in such structures as set forth above. Asopposed to the prior art concept of imposing a limitation on the maximumregulation which might be injected into the timepiece at a given orwithin a predetermined period of time, the invention disclosed inapplicants copending application utilizes a system which provides forunlimited regulation as a non-linear function of timepiece setting. Aspointed out in that application, such a system imposes no arbitrarylimitation upon the amount of regulation which can be injected into thetimepiece at a given setting or in a predetermined period of time, theregulation occurring at a non-uniform rate so that regulation iseffective at a high rate only during the initial movement of the settingstem and subsequently at a much lower rate, or at a zero rate, until thesetting stem has been twisted a certain predetermined amount. At thattime, regulation again occurs at the high rate and the sequence may beindefinitely repeated.

As pointed out in. said copending application, while unlimitedregulation at any given setting is permitted if this is desired, thetimepiece structure disclosed therein precludes excessive regulation ofthe timepiece (which is the sole justification for the lock-outmechanisms of the prior art) as a practical matter. And contrary to theprior art lock-out systems, erroneous regulation of the timepieceresulting from an erroneous setting thereof may be immediately erased.

Notwithstanding the advantages of the unlimited automatic regulatingmechanism disclosed in applicants copending application, however, it maybe that in certain instances (as governed either by the needs of theenvironment in which the timekeeping mechanism is used or by the whimsof the purchasing public) limited automatic regulation may be desired.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to providean improved timepiece equipped with a limited automatic regulatingmechanism.

It is another principal object of the invention to provide an improvedlimited automatic regulator for a timepece which is simply constructedand may be inexpensively manufactured, yetwhich will provide effectiveservice over an extended period of time.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improvedlimited automatic regulator for a timepiece which will inject apredetermined maximum amount of regulation into the timepiece at any onesetting and which contains an improved lock-out mechanism to preventtampering and over-regulation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a limitedautomatic regulating mechanism for a timepiece including low velocitydrive between the setting and regulating mechanisms.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims,and appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a limited auto matic regulatorconstructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevation, partially in section, of theregulator of FIGURE 1;

driving an hour hand 12. The minute pinion 14 is attached by shaft 16 tothe conventional minute wheel 18 which is in turn adapted to be drivenby setting pinion 20. Setting pinion 20 is attached to a setting stem 22adapted to be rotated by a knurled setting knob 24. The position of thesetting stem 22 and setting pinion 20 is established by a bent leafspring 26 having one arm 28 secured to a post 30 which is attached tothe timepiece frame in any suitable manner. The setting stem 22 has anecked-down portion 32 received in a slot 34 at the end of arm 28 ofleaf spring 26. The setting stem 22 may be raised upwardly against thebiasing force of the leaf spring until the setting pinion 20 engages theminute wheel 18 so that the hands of the timepiece may be set in aconventional manner. The minute wheel 18 is also connected to minutegear 25 which is connected to minute hand 11 by the shaft 23. The powerfor the timepiece may be provided by a source 29 which may beconventionally coupled to minute gear 25 by gear 27. Power source 29 maybe either mechanical, electrical or any other well known source ofpower.

A double gear comprising an upper gear 36 and lower gear 38 is securedto a shaft 40 journalled in the clock frame in any suitable manner whichwill permit axial motion of the shaft. The position of shaft 44) isdetermined by leaf spring 26, which is shown to have a second 'arm 42having an upwardly bent end portion 44 with a bifurcated end. Thefurcations 4.6 engage a necked down portion 48 of the shaft 40. Thespring 26 determines the position of gears 36 and 38 in such a mannerthat in the rest position of the unit the hour wheel 10 is level withupper gear 36 and is adapted to engage its teeth when the latter issufliciently rotated as described more fully below.

As may be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 and as is shown more particularly inFIGURES 3 and 4, upper gear 36 has a portion 50 where its teeth are cutaway. Lower gear 38, on the other hand, has teeth only in the area ofcut-away portion 56, the remainder of gear 33 being toothless.

Upper gear 36 also carries a pin 52 protruding from its upper surface.Thus, when the setting stem 22 is raised upwardly to put the settingpinion 20 into engagement with the minute wheel 18, the leaf spring arm42 is also raised so that the end 44 of that arm raises gears 36 and 38until the teeth on lower gear 38 are in mesh with the teeth of the hourwheel 10. In this position, the rotation of the hour wheel 10 by thesetting action of the setting pinion 20 causes rotation of the gears 36and 38 to cause corresponding movement of the pin.

A regulating wheel 58 is pivotally attached to the timepiece frame at 60and has a depending regulating arm 62 adapted to engage the hairspringof the timepiece in a conventional manner. The wheel 58 is provided withteeth 64 which mesh with the teeth of a pinion 66. Pinion 66 is attachedto a gear 68 pivoted at 70 and located just above the pin 52 when thegears 36 and 38 are in the rest position shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Whenthe gears 36 and 38 are raised by the action of the bent leaf spring 26so that the hour wheel 10 drives gear 38, pin 52 is placed in a positionto drive the gear 68 and this, in turn, drives the regulating wheel 58through pinion 66.

The operation of the regulator is as follows:

In the position of the elements shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, hour wheel 10and minute wheel 18 are rotated by the power source of the timepiece,which may be a spring or an electric drive. Hour wheel 10 will not drivegears 36 or 38 inasmuch as the cut-away portion 50 of gear 36 isopposite the teeth of the hour wheel. When it is desired to set thetimepiece, setting knob 24 is withdrawn upwardly to raise the settingpinion 20 to a position where it engages minute wheel 18, so that uponrotation of the setting knob 24, the minute and hour hands of the clockare rotated in a conventional manner through rotation of minute wheel18, minute pinion 14 and hour wheel 10.

This same lifting motion of setting knob 24 and setting stem 22 elevatesarm 42 of bent leaf spring 26 to cause gears 36 and 38 to be elevated toplace the teeth of gear 38 in meshing engagement with the teeth of hourwheel 10 and to move the pin 52 into engagement with the teeth of gear68. Thus, the same rotation of setting knob 24 which introduces settingmotion into the hands of the clock also causes rotation of pin 52 with aconcomitant rotation of gear 68 and regulator wheel 58 to introduceregulation into the timepiece.

Regulation is introduced at a substantially uniform rate until such timeas the teeth on gear 38 are rotated clear of the teeth on hour wheel 10or until pin 52 rides clear of gear 68, whichever occurs sooner. Sincethe toothless portion of gear 38 is now adjacent the teeth of hour wheel10, further rotation of the hour wheel will not cause gear 38 to rotateand therefore no further regulation will occur, regardless of the degreeto which the timepiece is adjusted. This operation is to be contrastedto that occurring in the regulator described in applicants previouslymentioned copending application wherein further rotation of the hourwheel will bring the pin back into engagement with gear 68 to causefurther regulation.

After the timepiece has been set and setting stem 22 released, bent leafspring 26 returns the elements to the position shown in FIGURE 1, exceptthat the double gear has been rotated so that the teeth of gear 36 arenow in engagement with the teeth of hour wheel 10. As hour wheel 10continues to be rotated by the power source of the timepiece, gear 36will be caused to rotate until the cut-away portion 59 is again returnedto the position shown in FIGURE 1. This returns the pin 52 to a positionwhere it is again in readiness to engage the teeth of gear 68 to effectmovement of regulator wheel 58 upon further setting of the timepiece.

In the foregoing embodiment, the amount of regulation injected into thetimepiece during any one setting operation will necessarily be dependentupon the duration of engagement of pin 52 with the teeth of gear 68. Ifit is desired to inject a regulation of greater magnitude, the structureshown in FIGURES 1 and 2 will prevent such regulation. An embodimentwhich will provide greater flexibility of regulation, however, isillustrated in FIGURE 5.

Except for the construction and arrangement of gears 36 and 38, thestructure shown in FIGURE 5 is identical to that shown in FIGURES 1 and2. The double gear is illustrated in FIGURE 5 as comprising the gears 36and 38, respectively. Gear 38' is identical in construction to gear 38of the previously described embodiment. Gear 36, while not differingfrom gear 36 insofar as its peripheral configuration is concerned(including teeth and a cutaway portion 50), is not provided with a pinas was gear 36. In addition, gears 36' and 38' are axially separatedsufiiciently so that (1) cut-away portion 50 of gear 36' will bedirectly adjacent hour wheel 10 under normal running conditions and (2)the teeth of gear 36 will mesh with those of gear 68 and the teeth ofgear 38' will mesh with those of hour wheel 10 in the setting positionof the timepiece.

As will be apparent from FIGURE 5 and from the description of theoperation of the previous embodiment, rotation of hour wheel 10 duringthe setting operation will cause rotation of gear 38'. Rotation of gear38 will result in corresponding rotation of gear 36', with concomitantrotation of gear 68 and regulator wheel 58 to introduce regulation intothe timepiece. In all other respects, the operation of the timepiece ofthis embodiment is identical to that of the previously describedembodiment.

Since the quantum of regulation injected into the timc piece is nolonger limited by the position of a pin, as was the case in thepreviously described embodiment, the amount of regulation can easily bevaried by varying the extent of the toothed portion of gear 38. Thegreater the extent of the toothed portion, the greater the duration ofengagement between gear 38' and hour wheel and thus the greater amountof rotation which may be imparted to gear 68 and regulator wheel 58. Inaddition, this embodiment is simpler in construction than the previouslydescribed structure in view of the elimination of pin 52.

Each of the embodiments heretofore described represents an inexpensiveand eifective means to accomplish the objectives of prior art limitedregulating mechanisms for timepieces. In addition to their basicconstruction, the embodiments of the instant invention provide effectivesafeguards against tampering and over-regulation inasmuch as a lock-outmechanism is provided from the time the regulation is injected into, thetimepiece until such time as double gears 36 and 38 (36 and 38' in thesecond embodiment) rotate back to their at-rest position.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is: p

1. A timepiece comprising: time measuring means including a source ofpower and a gear; time indicating means actuated by said time measuringmeans; time setting means for setting said time indicating means to anyposition in its time indicating range; said time setting means havingtime setting and non-setting positions; rate regulating means forregulating the rate of said time measuring means; automatic regulatingmeans actuated by said time setting means for adjusting said rateregulating means; said automatic regulating means including first andsecond gears; said first gear being adapted to mesh with said timemeasuring means gear when said time setting means is moved to its timesetting position; the rotation of said first gear causing said secondgear to rotate for adjusting said rate regulating means; means forautomatically disengaging said first gear from said time measuring meansgear after said first gear has been rotated through 'a predeterminedangle by said time measuring means gear when said time setting means isactuated in its time setting position; and said second gear beingadapted to mesh with said time measuring means gear when said timesetting means is returned to its nonsetting position after a timesetting operation so tha t rotation of said second gear causes saidfirst gear to return to its original position.

2. A timepiece as defined in claim 1 wherein said first gear is providedwith teeth around only a portion of its periphery; said teeth meshingwith said time measuring means gear when said time setting means isfirst moved to its time setting position and becoming disengaged fromsaid time measuring means gear after said first gear has been rotatedthrough a predetermined angle.

3. A timepiece as defined in claim 1 wherein said rate regulating meansincludes a gear, said second gear being adapted to mesh with said rateregulating means gear when said time setting means is in its timesetting position to provide adjustment of said rate regulating meansupon rotation of said second gear.

4. A timepiece as defined in claim 1 wherein said automatic regulatingmeans includes a low velocity drive means to provide adjustment of saidrate regulating means.

5. A timepiece as defined in claim 4 wherein said rate regulating meansincludes a gear and said low velocity drive means comprises a pinmounted on said second gear, said pin being adapted to engage said rateregulating means gear when said time setting means is in its 6 timesetting position through at least a portion of the movement of saidsecond gear.

6. A timepiece as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second gearsare in superposed relationship; said first and second gears being fixedrelative to one another and being rotatable about a single axis.

7. A timepiece as defined in claim 1 including means for returning saidfirst gear back to its original position after said time setting meanshas been returned to its non-setting position and lock-out means forpreventing readjustment of said rate regulating means when said timesetting means is subsequently moved in the same direction until saidfirst gear is returned to its original position.

8. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said time measuringmeans gear is the hour wheel of the timepiece.

9. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said rate regulatingmeans cannot be readjusted after said first gear has been rotatedthrough said predetermined angle when said time setting means issubsequently moved in the same direction until said first gear rotatesback to its original position.

10. A timepiece in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second gear isprovided with means to disengage it from said time measuring means gearwhen said first gear has been returned to its original position.

11. A timepiece as defined in claim 10 wherein said means to disengagesaid second gear from said time measuring means gear comprises acut-away portion of said second gear which is adapted to be situatedperipherally adjacent said time measuring means gear when said firstgear has been returned to its non-setting position.

12. A timepiece comprising: time measuring means including a source ofpower and a gear; time indicating means actuated by said timemeasuringmeans gear; time setting means for setting said time indicating means toany position in its time indicating range; said time setting meanshaving time setting and non-setting positions; rate regulating means forregulating the rate of said time measuring means; automatic regulationmeans actuated by said time setting means for adjusting said rateregulating means; said automatic regulating means including a pair ofgears; the first of said gears being adapted to mesh with said timemeasuring means gear when said time setting means is moved to its timesetting position; the rotation of said first gear causing said second ofsaid gears to rotate so as to adjust said rate regulating means; saidfirst gear being provided with teeth around only a portion of itsperiphery; said teeth normally meshing with said timemeasuring meansgear when said time setting means is first moved to its time settingposition and becoming disengaged from said time measuring means gearafter said first gear has been rotated through a predetermined angle;said second gear being mounted to engage said time measuring means gearwhen said time setting means has returned to its non-setting positionafter the time setting operation; said time measuring means gear beingrotated by said power source and causing said second gear to rotate; andsaid rotation of said second gear causing said first gear to rotate backtoward its normal position.

13. A timepiece as defined in claim 12 wherein said rate regulatingmeans cannot be readjusted after said first gear has been rotatedthrough said predetermined angle until said first gear rotates back toits original position.

14. A timepiece as defined in claim 12 wherein said second gear isprovided with means to disengage it from said time measuring means gearwhen said first gear has been returned to its original position.

15. A timepiece as defined in claim 14 wherein said last-mentioneddisengagement means comprises a cutaway portion of said second gearwhich is adapted to be situated peripherally adjacent said timemeasuring means gear when said first gear has been returned to itsoriginal position.

16. A timepiece as defined in claim 12 wherein said time measuring meansgear is the hour wheel of the timepiece.

17. A timepiece comprising: time measuring means including a source ofpower and a gear; time indicating means actuatedby said time measuringmeans; time setting means for setting said time indicating means to anyposition in its time indicating range; said time setting means havingtime setting and non-setting positions; said time measuring means gearbeing rotated by said power source when said time setting means is inits non-setting position; rate regulating means including a gear forregulating the rate of said time measuring means; automatic regulatingmeans actuated by said time setting means for adjusting said rateregulating means; said automatic regulating means including first andsecond superposed gears; said first and second gears being fixedrelative to one another and being rotatable about a single axis; saidfirst gear having a cut-away portion; said second gear being providedwith teeth only about a portion of its periphery; said teeth of saidsecond gear being substantially aligned with said cut-away portion ofsaid first gear; said cut-away portion of said first gear being normallyperipherally adjacent said time measuring means gear when said timesetting means is in its non-setting position; said first gear and saidtime measuring means gear being disengaged from one another when saidtime setting means is in its non-setting position; means for moving theteeth of said second gear into engagement with said time measuring meansgear when said time setting means is moved to its time setting position;said second gear rotating when said time setting means is moved in itstime setting position; said first gear rotating with said second gearand engageable with said rate regulating means gear for providingadjustment of said rate regulating means; said teeth of said second gearbeing disengaged from said time measuring means gear after said secondgear has been rotated through a predetermined angle for preventingfurther adjustment of said rate regulating means; said first gear beingadapted to mesh with said time measuring means gear when said timesetting means has been returned to its non-setting position; said powersource then rotating said first gear through said time measuring meansgear for causing said second gear to rotate back to its normal position.

18. A timepiece in accordance with claim 17 wherein said time measuringmeans gear is the hour wheel of the timepiece.

19. A timepiece comprising time measuring means including a source ofpower and a gear; time indicating means actuated by said time measuringmeans; setting means for setting said time indicating means; saidsetting means having setting and non-setting positions; said measuringmeans gear being rotated by said power source when said setting means isin its non-setting position; rate regulating means including a gear forregulating the rate of said time measuring means; automatic regulatingmeans actuated by said setting means for adjusting said rate regulatingmeans; said automatic regulating means including a pair of superposedgears fixed relative to one another and being rotatable about a singleaxis; the first of said superposed gears having a cut-away portion; thesecond of said gears being provided with teeth only about a portion ofits periphery, said teeth being substantially aligned with said cut-awayportion; said cut-away portion being normally peripherally adjacent saidmeasuring means gear in the non-setting position of said setting means,whereby said first gear and said measuring means gear will be disengagedfrom one another in said nonsetting position of said setting means;means for moving the teeth of said second gear into engagement with saidmeasuring means gear in the setting position of said setting means, sothat said second gear will be rotated upon adjustment of said settingmeans; said first gear rotating with said second gear and cooperatingwith said rate regulating means gear to effect adjustment of said rateregulating means; the teeth of said second gear becoming disengaged fromsaid measuring means gear after said second gear has been rotatedthrough a predetermined angle, whereby further adjustment of said rateregulating means will cease; said first gear being adapted to mesh withsaid measuring means gear after said setting means has been returned toits nonsetting position; said first gear then being rotated by saidpower source and causing said second gear to rotate back to its normalposition.

20. A timepiece as defined in claim 19 wherein said measuring means gearis the hour wheel of the timepiece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,542,430 Rabinow Feb. 20, 1951 2,554,029 Holdman May 22, 1951 2,858,029Rabinow Oct. 28, 1958 2,933,883 Giger Apr. 26, 1960 2,941,349 LuX June21, 1960 2,949,728 Dicke et a1. Aug. 23, 1960 2,976,673 Potters et alMar. 28, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 787,002 Great Britain Nov. 27, 1957

1. A TIMEPIECE COMPRISING: TIME MEASURING MEANS INCLUDING A SOURCE OFPOWER AND A GEAR; TIME INDICATING MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID TIME MEASURINGMEANS; TIME SETTING MEANS FOR SETTING SAID TIME INDICATING MEANS TO ANYPOSITION IN ITS TIME INDICATING RANGE; SAID TIME SETTING MEANS HAVINGTIME SETTING AND NON-SETTING POSITIONS; RATE REGULATING MEANS FORREGULATING THE RATE OF SAID TIME MEASURING MEANS; AUTOMATIC REGULATINGMEANS ACTUATED BY SAID TIME SETTING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID RATEREGULATING MEANS; SAID AUTOMATIC REGULATING MEANS INCLUDING FIRST ANDSECOND GEARS; SAID FIRST GEAR BEING ADAPTED TO MESH WITH SAID TIMEMEASURING MEANS GEAR WHEN SAID TIME SETTING MEANS IS MOVED TO ITS TIMESETTING POSITION; THE ROTATION OF SAID FIRST GEAR CAUSING SAID SECONDGEAR TO ROTATE FOR ADJUSTING SAID RATE REGULATING MEANS; MEANS FORAUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGING SAID FIRST GEAR FROM SAID TIME MEASURING MEANSGEAR AFTER SAID FIRST GEAR HAS BEEN